Damon's Unsettled
by sleepwell
Summary: Damon is unsure of why he is reacting to Jeremy Gilbert's presence. Damon hasn't been affected by a mere mortal in a very long time.
1. Damon's Unsettled

_I'm not much for introductions but here is a little something I'm working on. Hope it gets you interested enough to review._

It had happened once before. OK, twice. But a long time ago. Well, if the 1960's and 80's could be considered a long time ago. And who wasn't having sex with everyone and everything during those two 'whacky' decades? Except Stefan, of course. As usual, Mr. Moralistic spent the 'free love' and androgynous 'Ziggy Stardust' years as highly principled as ever.

Not Damon. He figured 'what the hell?" It's amazing what had felt liked eons of mindless vampire sex, could do to an increasingly bored un-dead's sexual appetite. Experimentation. That's what he told himself it had been when he actually thought about those men. And, in both instances, things had ended rather badly. For the men. Damon had remained bored.

But this time. It didn't feel like boredom. More like curiosity. Damon wasn't sure when his attention was caught. When he started to notice the brooding teenager. He does know that it was Jeremy's suicide attempt that sealed the deal. _That_ kept Damon watching. And noticing. Jeremy's hair, his slouch, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. Which wasn't often enough. Except lately. When he was with that witch.

Damon tore his gaze away from the back of Jeremy's bent neck. Tried to focus on Andie's inane chatter. And found his gaze drifting back to the boy across the room. Silently he scolded himself. What had happened in the past was not the result of physical attraction, or attraction at all for that matter. This was personal. It was not just sexual inquisitiveness or a consequence of sexual monotony. He was attracted to Jeremy. Just Jeremy. And in a butterflies- in- the- stomach sort of way. Damon hadn't reacted to a mortal in this manner in an extremely long time. And he didn't particularly enjoy the sensation. But he did. Enjoy it.


	2. Jeremy's Unsettled

_Thanks for the encouraging reviews. And, for those of you who haven't figure out where this is going, consider this your SLASH warning! Oh, and this story may contain spoilers from Seasons One and Two._

He could feel the vampire's eyes boring into the back of his head. Jeremy rolled his eyes and simultaneously scowled. It wasn't the first time he had seen, or rather felt, Damon's hypnotic eyes on him. What was _wrong_ with this dude? Seriously. Wasn't killing Jeremy once enough already? Why the continued 'hate-on'? Jeremy had made a point of staying away from that angry, condescending demon unless communication with Damon was absolutely necessary.

Jeremy had lost the thread of Bonnie's need-for-perfection-while –performing-spells incantation. Shaking off his musings, he turned slightly, just in time to catch Damon's backside disappearing into the men's room. And lost it. Decided he'd had enough.

Standing abruptly, he threw a vague apology in the general direction of the startled witch and strode across the diner after the object of his confusion. Jeremy paused briefly, hand on the restroom door. What the hell was he going to say? "Stop staring at me, it's creeping me out"? Somehow that sounded rather lame, even to himself. He shrugged, threw back his shoulders and pushed open the heavy door.

Damon was leaning forward across the sink counter, forehead resting against the mirror, arms on either side of his head supporting himself on the wall. He didn't move as Jeremy approached. Jeremy's heart began to beat loudly and quickly. "Shit" he thought, "Just great. He'll hear that. So much for cool, calm and collected." With each step he took across the small space, his fear mounted. This was beginning to seem like a really bad idea.

Then, he was being held up by the throat, feet dangling awkwardly off the floor. Jeremy kept forgetting how quickly these creatures moved when provoked. He flashed back to a similar situation. That hadn't ended well for Jeremy. Involuntarily he rolled the ring around his finger. Yep, thank God, still there.

Blinking rapidly, he glanced down. Damon's human mask was stripped. Dead eyes glared up at him, dark veins stood juxtaposed against frozen white skin. And those fangs. As the vampire let loose a low, guttural growl unlike any sound even imagined by a Hollywood horror movie, Jeremy felt his stomach drop. To the bottom of his unsupported feet.


	3. Damon Falters

_I'm so pleased with the response this little storyline is getting. Thanks for all the support, I love to read your reviews! Please remember, SLASH scenes _will_ happen, it's just a matter of time…_

The pulsing artery jumping along the boy's neck was mesmerizing. He could hear the hot, thick blood rushing through the distended vessel, surging in response to the mortal's terror. The hand holding the boy up by the neck was throbbing with the pressure of the jugular vein fighting to return blood to the rapidly thumping heart. He could smell the strong bittersweet sweat pouring from the teenager's pores. That odour, combined with the unique blood smell of the Gilbert descendants was driving him wild. Jeremy's humanness was pounding his senses, surrounding him with intoxicating human sounds and odours, flooding his vampire brain with _Jeremy_ noises and smells.

Powerful. He felt powerful. In fact, he felt damn amazing, omnipotent for the first time in a long time in the presence of this enigmatic teenager.

And then Jeremy laughed. A rather strangled laugh, probably due to the chokehold he had been placed in, but a laugh nonetheless. "Sucks doesn't it?" Jeremy gasped, "Or rather, _it_ doesn't suck. 'It' being you, of course. Sorry about the ring and being protected from vampire attacks and all."

Damon hissed. Cocked his head to the side. Staring into the boy's pupil blown eyes, he slowly, gently placed Jeremy's back against the wall. Lowered Jeremy's feet to the floor and loosened his grip from around the boy's neck. Retracted his fangs. Allowed his human face to return. Smiled sardonically. Continued to feel turned on.

"Why are you so bothered by me?" The question caught Damon off guard. Sliding his hand from the around the boy's throat, he cupped Jeremy's jaw. Peered sideways at the open, vulnerable face in front of him. 'Christ' he thought, 'How to answer _that_ without causing the youngster to run a mile?' So, being Damon, he didn't respond. Just persisted in his steadfast gaze. He could almost hear the younger male trying to make sense of the situation, watched as puzzlement, fear, anger and some other emotion he didn't recognize dance across the boy's fine features. Damon began to feel like he was losing his mind. His power high was quickly being replaced by the more familiar sensation of confusion.

Jeremy reached up and pulled Damon's hand away from his face. "Are we done here?" he asked, his tone sarcastic. "I have Bonnie waiting for me. If you're not going to enlighten me as to this twisted game you're playing with me, I'm out of here. And please refrain from stalking me with glares from across the room. It's so beneath you."

Jeremy pushed the vampire back with his shoulder and turned to walk out of the washroom. Damon felt something inside himself twinge. A rusty, yet quickly becoming familiar sensation. A human emotion that he had really only admitted to himself in connection with Elena and Rose. Well, and Stefan too, if he was being completely honest. And that feeling was regret. Regret for how things _could have_ been, how they _should_ be, how they _could_ be. If Damon was a different being. He blew out a long sigh and watched the boy move slowly towards the closed door.


	4. Jeremy Falters

_As you might have guessed, this story is actually almost completely written, which is why I can update so quickly. Please continue to review, it helps me to know whether I should keep submitting the remaining chapters. As always, thanks for all the support! Oh, and in re-reading the rating system, I changed the story from 'T' to 'M' because of the 'f' word.  
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He almost made it out. Back to Bonnie. Back to the never-ending drama that was Elena. His hand reached for the door. Brushed it. So close. Yet he hesitated. Dropped his trembling fingers to his side. Jeremy bowed his head and stood still.

He was fucking tired. Bone weary, mind numbing tired. His parents. Vicki. Anna. The craziness that was Mystic Falls. People he'd known all his life revealed as non-human or part human or part animal. The steady parade of horrors and horrifying events. Elena and her nightmarish other-world dealings. The constant feeling of being in the dark, of not knowing what was truly happening around him. The impossibility of playing at being a 'normal' teenager.

The drugs and booze had served to numb the pain and mask the fatigue for a while. And lately he had thought that being with Bonnie had been helping. Helping him feel like there was a purpose to his humanness, that being alive actually mattered. That Elena needed him. That his existence counted for something other than worry and concern on the part of the few who actually cared about him. He had begun to feel that maybe there was hope. Hope that someone could love him, actually _him_.

But over the past few days he had begun to feel like he was kidding himself. To doubt his new found happiness. Bonnie was so caught up in her spells and the production that involved Elena and the creatures surrounding her. Bonnie also seemed somewhat embarrassed to be with Jeremy, bothered by her attraction to him. Nervous that he was Elena's 'little brother'. The tendrils of being in the shadow of Elena were long reaching. And smothering. So very all consuming. Exhausting, in fact.

But it was the sigh that gave him pause. That shook his resolve to put Damon in his place, to prove to Damon that he wasn't bothered by the vampire. The sigh turned him around. To face the vampire from whom that long, low stream of air had escaped. Because Jeremy knew that sigh. It was the sound of feeling alone. Being alone. Being _lonely_.

Glancing across the small space, Jeremy swiftly took in the slumped posture, the clenched fists, the lowered head. Peering from beneath his bangs, Jeremy caught and held the vampire's upward gaze. Damon's eyes were no longer piercing and commanding. Instead he was regarding Jeremy warily, one eyebrow raised.

So, Damon was lonely? Jeremy considered this as he took a tentative step towards the vampire. Imagined decades of being at odds with family, constantly roaming, searching for trouble, leaving behind one mess only to create another somewhere new. Suddenly Jeremy was flooded with a memory. "He wants to be a vampire." Cold hands around his neck. Harsh words in his ears. " You want to shut out the pain? It's the easiest thing in the world. The part of you that cares just goes away. All you have to do is flick the switch and …." The memory faded as quickly as it had come. Yet Damon's words remained. Jeremy considered them as he took another step nearer to the statuesque male in his path.

Their eyes remained locked as Jeremy slowly covered the space between them. He stopped. Close enough that he could almost feel his own chest hit Damon's with each exhale of breath. Close enough that the cold heat emanating from the vampire's hard body made him shiver. Close enough that the blue eyes fixed on him darkened as the pupils grew wider and wider. Close enough that he was immersed in Damon's smell, a musky, spicy intoxicating smell. Close enough that he could see, as well as sense, the shift in the vampire's demeanor. The fading of defeat and the surging of desire.

Allowing himself a small, quick exertion of air for courage, Jeremy briefly bit down on his own lower lip, closed his eyes, leaned in and pressed his lips against Damon's.


	5. Damon Comes Undone

_Only a couple of chapters left in this story. Remember, this is Slash. Thanks for reading._

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Calm. An overriding sense of tranquility. He felt at peace for the first time in what seemed like forever. Still, quiet. The result of a pair of lips. Jeremy Gilbert's lips. Pouty, velvety soft, full lips. Resting on his. It felt, well, it felt _perfect_.

Then the unsolicited, unwanted images flooded in. Jeremy and _Vicki_. Jeremy and _Anna_. Jeremy and _Bonnie_. Even Damon and Jeremy on the coach playing video games and talking about…_girls_. Not even a fleeting hint of Jeremy and another male. So, what was _this_? But Damon really didn't want to dwell on Jeremy's up –until- now seemingly obvious sexual preferences. He wanted to focus on those luscious lips.

Damon opened his mouth, returning the pressure of Jeremy's kiss. Involuntarily groaned as Jeremy's tongue slipped in, uninvited yet extremely welcome. Realized he had placed his hands on Jeremy's waist, pulling the slightly taller male in towards himself. Felt Jeremy respond, his hands slipping up under Damon's shirt.

Oh my God, those hands. They were everywhere. Warm. Large. Roaming. Unhesitating. Damon had never felt sensations like the ones Jeremy were evoking with his stroking tongue and hands. Sure, it was similar, yet it was oh so different than the touch of a woman. Harder. Knowing where to press, where to pause, where to linger. It was fucking hot. And then, Jeremy's hands slipped to the front of Damon's black jeans.

Snapping open his eyes, Damon found himself gazing directly into dark pools of liquid brown that were asking a question. He nodded affirmatively and the boy undid the top button of Damon's pants. Damon's breath hitched as the zipper was pulled downwards. He reclaimed Jeremy's mouth, more urgently now. He moved to slide his mouth along Jeremy's jaw, dragged his teeth along the thrown back, exposed neck. That frigging, fantastic neck. Fought hard to keep his fangs sheathed. Sucked in the overpowering scent that was Jeremy. Wondered briefly how he was still standing.

Christ. Jeremy had reached his destination. Damon felt the boy's hot, rough hand wrap awkwardly around him. Damon couldn't help it. His hips thrust forward, wanting more. Jeremy seemed to understand what Damon was needing and began stroking slowly, using long languid movements that caused Damon to pitch forward into Jeremy's hand again and again. Shit, torture had never felt this good.

Damon's mouth grazed the other male's collarbone. His right hand found itself tangled in Jeremy's hair as he pulled the boy closer. He couldn't get close enough. He wanted Jeremy to be feeling this amazing, wanted to see the younger man react to his, Damon's, touch, to see desire and abandon reflected in those doe-like, dark , beautiful eyes.

At least this is how it _should_ have gone. How the scene that played out in Damon's mind for the brief seconds that Jeremy's lips were on his was _meant_ to happen. That, and so much more should have been. Instead, Damon thought of who he was and who Jeremy Gilbert was. And who Jeremy _wasn't_. He pulled back, causing cold air to rush into the space created between them. Damon placed his hands on Jeremy's shoulders and pushed.

Jeremy flew backwards across the path he had crossed such a short time ago. Crashed into the door. Slid less than gracefully downward, landing heavily on the ground. Damon was already in his face when Jeremy landed, crouched like a wild animal ready to pounce.

"What the hell was that, Gilbert?" he snarled.


	6. Jeremy Comes Undone

_Thanks again to my faithful reviewers, it keeps me going to hear from you! To all of those reading along, I have a favour to ask. The last chapter is coming. I have two versions written, an 'angst' ending and a 'romantic' ending. Perhaps you could let me know which version you'd prefer to read by submitting a review in the form of a vote! Cheers._

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Jeremy looked up into those piercing eyes, the vampire's angry question echoing in his brain. Damon had a point, really, what _had_ that been? OK. So maybe kissing a vampire in a restaurant washroom hadn't been the smartest thing he could have done. Especially when the vampire was another _male_ with a predilection for violence. If he hadn't been wearing his vervain bracelet, Jeremy might have been able to claim that Damon had compelled him. But he hadn't. Damon had just stood there looking open, vulnerable. And kinda sexy. Hot.

Weird. Jeremy didn't often think of guys as sexy. In fact, this could be a first. He really didn't understand why he had suddenly felt the urge to kiss Damon. Call it compassion. No, Jeremy amended hastily, dudes don't kiss other dudes out of compassion. Well, call it base animal instinct then. Call it anything. But, any way he wanted to defend it, nothing could change the fact that he, Jeremy, had just attempted to suck face with a malevolent murderer.

And now his shoulders were killing him where they had come into rather vigorous contact with the door. And his butt ached from his entire upper body weight slamming onto it abruptly, forcefully. He wondered briefly if anyone outside the washroom had heard the pounding of his long frame hitting and collapsing. However, judging from the uninterrupted sounds of customer chatter, clinking dishes, and pool cues hitting billiard balls, no one _had_ heard or was bothered by his body being manhandled by a pissed off, seemingly homophobic vampire. Seriously though, Jeremy muttered to himself, Damon was so narcissistic, you would have thought the guy'd be flattered. That the self-centered bastard would have found Jeremy trying to kiss him amusing. Apparently not.

Jeremy somehow managed to pull himself into a standing position. Awkwardly, painfully. Without any assistance from Damon, who had already risen and was standing with arms akimbo and an inscrutable expression on his face. Jeremy shook his head, muttered a brief, nervous "Whatever, man" and, trying desperately to appear nonchalant, exited the washroom.

Jeremy felt like he had been in that restroom for an eternity. It must be obvious to everyone in The Grill what had transpired in the bathroom. That his encounter with the vampire was causing whispers and awkward stares. But no one even glanced his way as he made his way rather unsteadily back to the table. Bonnie was chatting casually with Matt and barely looked up as Jeremy approached the table. "I have to go" he managed to get out without stuttering, "Forgot I was supposed to meet Elena half an hour ago." Bonnie paused, looked surprised but didn't argue. He left without responding to her chirpy "I'll talk to you later then."

Once outside the diner, Jeremy started to feel sick. Panic set in. Running down the street like the hounds of hell were chasing him, he wondered what was going to happen next. Would Damon actually hunt him down? Would he tell Elena and Stefan and everyone else what had happened, would he make a mockery of Jeremy? Or would he use this incident to lord over Jeremy in private, to humiliate him whenever he was forced to be in the vampire's company? Any of these scenarios were unpleasant to contemplate. Decided he couldn't go home. Changing course, Jeremy headed for the woods.

Panting, he flopped down against the base of a tree. Winced as his shoulders and butt reminded him of the folly of attempting to rest in that position. Rolled onto his back. Stared up at the treetops. Tried to still his rapid breathing. And to quell the waves of panic that kept crashing over him, threatening to take him under, drown him. Finally, as the sky darkened above him and as the trees became dark shadows, his breathing quieted. Jeremy's eyes closed. The hand Jeremy placed over his own heart felt a steady, strong beat rather than the erratic thudding and pounding of the last hour or so.

Jeremy's mind returned to the brief moments when he had been standing chest to chest with Damon. Relived the meeting of their lips. Felt a returning stir of excitement, his pulse quickening yet again at the memory. _What the hell? _There was no denying it. He had _liked_ kissing the vampire. More than liked. It had been brilliant, amazing. There had been no conflicting emotions like when he had been with Vicki. No hidden agenda as with Anna. And none of the uncertainty he felt around Bonnie. It had just felt right, perfect even. Well, except for the part where Damon had thrown him away. Jeremy threw his arm up over his eyes and began to cry silently. Shit. This was not going to end well. At all.

He felt rather than heard a presence beside him. Threw his arm to the side. Where it landed on a hard, shirt covered, chiseled abdomen. Crap. Jeremy turned his head slowly to the side. Carefully and cautiously opened his tear filled eyes. It took him a minute to adjust to the dim light. To blink the tears away. When his pupils finally focused, he found himself gazing directly into the fixed icy-blue stare of Damon Salvatore.


	7. Damon's Settled

_Well, I went with the 'romance' version for all you romantics out there! However, I think I'll adhere to _**onecoldn'tsee**_ and _**vice17**_'s advice and post the alternative 'angst' ending another day. Here, then, is the last chapter of my first ever fanfic story. Hope it's OK. Maybe if you think I should, I'll try another story soon!_

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_Damon melted. The sight of Jeremy Gilbert silently crying was more than even he, cold-hearted Damon, could take. Seriously, the guy had brooding down to perfection, but weepy? Didn't seem in character. But what did he really know about Jeremy's character? Only that he had portrayed 'tough', defiant for a long time after his parents' death. And that he had seemed more relaxed lately. Less 'angsty'. More mature, self-confident even. But crying? Selfishly, Damon could only hope it was over him.

Looking sideways, he suddenly grinned at the teen who was watching him like a mouse watches the cat that has him cornered. "Sorry about earlier," Damon pulled an exaggerated, fake pout, "I guess I might have over reacted a little. " Jeremy's hand, still facing palm up on Damon's abdomen, clenched into a fist. His expression, however, didn't change. Damon tried again. "I can be a dick sometimes" he offered, "You might have heard." Only mouse-like eyes, raised eyebrows. "OK" Damon took in a deep breath, rolled onto his side, and peered down at the young man. "You took me by surprise. I thought you were going to leave the washroom. All indignant-like. And pissed with me for, what did you call it? Oh yeah, '_stalking you with glares'_. Nice turn of phrase, actually. " Jeremy's fist unclenched and clenched again. The boy's arm was now pinned between the two males, dangerously close to a certain part of Damon's anatomy. Damon took a deep breath and kept going. "So, the kiss-thing kinda shook me. Wasn't what I was expecting. But, to be honest, it was kinda what I hoped for." He paused. Jeremy's eyes fluttered closed. And re-opened. His expression was less wary now. More, well, puzzled, confused. Damon sighed. This wasn't going well. But, technically, why would it? He had tossed the kid across a room for daring to kiss him and now Damon was admitting that he had actually been all right with that action.

"Why did you freak out then?" Jeremy's voice was soft. Damon shook his head regretfully. "Because I was afraid for you. Of you." It was Jeremy's turn to roll onto his side. He propped himself up on an elbow, his hand supporting the side of his face. Damon briefly regretted the removal of that warm hand from his groin area. Focused on Jeremy who was sounding surprised. "Afraid for me? _Of_ me? What the hell are you talking about?" "Afraid for you because I wanted to kiss you back. And I didn't think that would go over well with the people in your life. Like your drama-queen sister, for example. Or your savior-mother Jenna. And especially with Sabrina, the teenage witch." Damon could tell that his last reference was lost on Jeremy. "So it seemed like the smarter thing to do. To gently dissuade you, make you walk away, pride wounded perhaps, but with your disdain for me intact."

Jeremy grimaced. "OK. But doesn't the whole angry-vampire-thing you've got going on imply that _I_ should be scared of you? Why would you be afraid of _me_?" Damon flopped onto his back. Stared up into the dark night. Wondered what exactly Jeremy was ready to hear. What he, Damon, was ready to say. Thought about the lonely decades, his tendency to mess up relationships (OK, his inability to _have_ normal relationships). Watching Jeremy over these past months had made him wonder if he, Damon, could do romance. And, as if to further complicate the moment, his stomach butterflies returned. Lying so close to Jeremy's long body, their sides almost touching, his thoughts became far less existential. Lust, he was pretty sure, he _could_ manage.

The moonlight chose that instant to break through the clouds. That exact moment, when Jeremy rolled his body on top of Damon's. When he looked down at Damon from extended arms, his face in shadows. Damon could see his own startled face reflected in Jeremy's soft eyes. "I asked you a question" the boy whispered "Why would you be afraid of me?" Damon just shook his head slowly from side to side. Reached up, tentatively, to touch Jeremy's face. Jeremy turned his head slightly, placed his lips in the palm of Damon's hand. Damon stopped breathing. Kept his hand motionless. Continued to stare into Jeremy's eyes as the other male began to feather kiss along his hand to reach the soft hollow in Damon's wrist. Groaning, Damon moved his hand and pulled Jeremy down towards him.

Their lips met furiously, hungrily. Jeremy bent his elbows, lowering himself further onto the vampire. Their chests raised and fell in unison. Damon placed his hands under the young man's shirt, pulling it upwards in his haste to feel skin. My God, he thought momentarily, this is so much better than the petula scented groping of a stoned out hippie at Woodstock. Returning to the present, he dragged his hands back down Jeremy's back, pushed under the belt of the loose fitting jeans, lifted the elastic edging of boxers (hmm, thought Damon, briefly, that question answered), spread his palms, then squeezed across the nicest piece of …."Oh" gasped Jeremy, pulling his mouth abruptly from Damon's. "Wow. Moment needed here." Damon's hands stilled. Fought the urge to push his hips up into Jeremy's. "Alright" he managed to utter, "I guess this might be a little fast. You're new to male-on-male action." He was babbling now. "And I forget that your mere mortals don't have our heightened senses, that I'm way ahead of you in the… " His sentence was cut off by the return of Jeremy's lips tugging on his, biting gently, sucking softly until Damon's entire lower lip was inside Jeremy's mouth.

Christ. Damon knew that he had _never_ made _that_ sound before. Embarrassing, really. But as Jeremy continued to use his tongue in ways that would have made a lesser man blush, Damon past the point of caring. He only cared about getting more of Jeremy. But he felt compelled (ironic chose of words, he moaned inwardly) to give the lead to Jeremy. To give up control, allow the younger male to set the pace. Even if it was killing Damon. The younger man lifted his head again. "No, you idiot" he chided, "It's just that my ass is rather, um, shall we say, sensitive from you launching me across the room. I landed rather hard. You knocked the wind out of me, you know." Damon recovered enough to chuckle softly, "I do have that effect on people". Damon reached up to gently push aside a stray lock of hair that was distracting him from Jeremy's limpid eyes, his cute-as-a-button nose, his upturned mouth….Jesus. He was in serious danger of becoming maudlin. Not being able to help himself, he began moving his hands gently across aforesaid part of Jeremy's anatomy. Soft, warm, Jeremy skin. Another never-before-uttered noise escaped from deep within Damon's throat.

Jeremy, however, wasn't quite done admonishing the vampire. "And just for the record, I wasn't crying over you earlier. So don't go getting all full of yourself. Like you can." His tone was affectionate, his touch on Damon's face commanding and self-assured. Damon didn't know whether to be happy the tears hadn't been about him (although secretly he would forever have his doubts regarding the truth of that statement) or regretful. Looking up at the boy above him, Damon chose to be happy.


	8. Alternate Ending

_Alternate 'angst' ending as promised. I personally prefer the first version, I'm a romantic at heart! This story has now concluded and I'm working on another, somewhat smut-ier, slash-ier Damon/Jeremy pairing. P.S. I've also enjoyed reading many of your stories that I've found through review links, so thanks for that!_

He wasn't exactly sure why he had followed the boy. He told himself that it was to make sure Jeremy was OK, that Jeremy hadn't been physically harmed by his encounter with the door. But, honestly, Damon was feeling pretty shitty about what he had done. He had been watching the younger male for weeks now, mesmerized by his physical presence as well by how Jeremy was handling his rapidly changing world. The situation in the bathroom had only heightened Damon's attraction to this enigmatic creature. But Jeremy's unexpected kiss had also served to make Damon realize how dangerous it would be for the boy to become involved with him. "I mean seriously" he thought to himself, following easily behind the fleeing teenager, "What possible good could come of him being involved with me? I bring harm to all those around me, being with me would be like signing his death warrant."

As he tracked Jeremy into the woods, his mind continued to race. Elena would never allow her brother, scratch that, her _cousin _to become involved with him, her trust in Damon was tentative, extending only to situations requiring his vampire skills and knowledge. Stefan would immediately suspect him of trying to use Jeremy as a weapon to get to Elena, he could even hear Stefan accuse of him of playing some kind of mind game. And, let's face it, with all the crazy stuff going on in Mystic Falls, Damon had yet to see any signs that the town was 'gay friendly'. If that was what this even was.

Landing softly beside the overwrought teen, Damon pondered his next move. Common sense told him he should leave, that he shouldn't be here with Jeremy, alone, in the approaching darkness. It was just too tempting however, and, as Damon reminded himself, he wasn't really known for resisting temptation. So, when the boy turned his head to look at him, Damon felt a stake enter his heart. Those beautiful eyes filled with pain, confusion, longing. "Christ", thought Damon. "This isn't going to end well."

He rolled over, landing on top of the startled mortal. Bracing himself on bended elbows he asked softly "Why the tears Gilbert? Did I hurt you?" Jeremy brought up a hand and roughly wiped his eyes. "No" he replied, his voice rough, "This isn't about you. And could you get the fuck off me?" Damon laughed sharply. The kid was great. Vampire on top of him, in the middle of a deserted forest, and he's giving lip. Damon had to admire that.

Bending in closer to the sullen face below him, Damon whispered rather theatrically, "No, I won't. Get off you. Not until you tell me why you thought it necessary to kiss me in a public washroom." Jeremy closed his eyes tightly, wrinkling his cheeks upwards. "Why? Did I offend your sensibilities?" Damon laughed again. "I'm surprised you can use that word in a sentence" he retorted. "And, no. It didn't offend me. Quite the contrary. It was kinda flattering. Nice to know I still have it after all these years." Jeremy's eyes opened. Damon couldn't see any warmth in them. "You're an ass, Salvatore. Could we just forget about the whole thing? And could you _please_ get off me? You're heavy and I want to go home."

Damon only leaned in further. Impulsively he kissed the tip of Jeremy's nose. And then, when Jeremy didn't react, his lips. This time Jeremy responded almost instantly, opening his mouth to allow Damon's tongue to enter. Here was the warmth that Jeremy's eyes had denied him. Damon couldn't stop himself; he lowered his torso against the boy's and rolled Jeremy over onto him. Jeremy came willing, his tongue chasing Damon's, his hands tangling into Damon's hair. Damon began to lose his mind. He ran his hands up and down Jeremy's back, pulling the boy closer with each stroke. Felt Jeremy's hips rise instinctively into his. Heard the low moan emitting from that glorious mouth. Damon thought he had never heard a sound so hot. Damon wanted more. More of Jeremy. He reached between their grinding bodies, groping for a button. Jeremy seemed to understand Damon's intent and pushed himself upwards on straightened arms. Hating the space created between them, Damon worked quickly to undo Jeremy's jeans. Slid his hand down into that hot, hot heat. Groaned at the moment of contact, of the feel of Jeremy, heavy and hard in Damon's palm.

"What the hell is going on?" shouted a familiar, unwelcome, rather hysterical voice from out of the dusk. "Are you two fighting?" Shit. How could he have been so distracted that he hadn't heard Elena and Stefan approaching? Granted, his vampire senses had been engaged elsewhere but _seriously_? The pair must have been _trying_ to sneak up on them. Thank God Elena couldn't see well in the fading light, although the same wouldn't hold true for Stefan. Almost instantly, before Elena had even finished her sentence, he pushed Jeremy away, not as hard as earlier in the day, but with enough force that the boy landed in an awkward heap a few feet away from Damon. Damon quickly sprang to his feet. Later, he would claim he had reacted that way out of fear for what was to come, fear for Jeremy, _not_ because he was embarrassed or ashamed of what had been happening. But Jeremy wouldn't see it that way.

Out of the corner of his eye, Damon saw the younger man sit up, turn away while he fumbled quickly to do up his pants. Then Jeremy slowly rose to his feet. Faced his sister and her boyfriend. Ignored Damon. "Nothing is going on." Jeremy stated flatly, "Nothing. Just a misunderstanding. It's over though. Nothing to worry about Elena. Damon's made his point." And Jeremy brushed by Damon, leaving the woods with his worried cousin. Stefan turning to follow, glanced back over his shoulder at Damon. "Leave him alone, Damon. For everyone's sake, just leave him alone" he whispered sadly, knowing only Damon would hear. And Damon listened to his little brother, for a change.


End file.
